Beetaloo Basin inquiry calls for national plan to offset vast emissions expected from gas projects

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Labor support for recommendations is a huge blow' to companies trying to frack in the NT

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

An inquiry into major plans to exploit gas in the Northern Territory's Beetaloo Basin has recommended the federal government commit to a national plan to offset the vast emissions the project is expected to release.

The former Coalition government made gas exploration in the Beetaloo Basin a central tenet of its plans for recovering from the Covid pandemic, using grants and tax breaks to incentivise gas corporates to begin work in the region. The basin covers about 28,000 sq km south-east of Katherine and is thought to contain huge reserves of shale gas.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup